Thomson - "I was forced to be with prostitutes".May 11th, 2012 at 9:22pm

Honestly, I cannot believe the depths to which Labor is stooping now. It has gone far beyond being a joke. As a once swinging voter, I have made a vow to never vote for Labor again, at least not until every single one of this 72 despicable mob are gone from the party.

I was watching Sky News with my 13 year old at the time, and even he knows what's going on, and too is disgusted at the contempt that Labor has for us, and the stupidity that they seem to think we possess. I can't wait for the 15 minute speech, it should be great viewing.

Re: Thomson - "I was forced to be with prostitutes".Reply #1 - May 11th, 2012 at 9:24pm

Craig Thomson says union rival once threatened to ‘set him up with hookers'From: AAP May 11, 2012 7:33PM

FEDERAL MP Craig Thomson claims a rival union official threatened eight years ago to ruin his career by setting him up with prostitutes.

Mr Thomson's lawyers last month sent Fair Work Australia (FWA) a submission which says the unnamed rival was witnessed in 2004 threatening to "ruin Mr Thomson's life, to destroy his political ambitions and to set him up with a bunch of hookers", the Nine Network reported today.

Mr Thomson has accused FWA of failing to investigate the claim, which is expected to be a key focus of the suspended Labor MP's long-awaited explanation to federal parliament later this month, Nine said.

An FWA report alleges that as head of the Health Services Union from 2002 to 2007, Mr Thomson misused union funds to pay for prostitutes, lavish travel and meals, and to fund his 2007 election campaign.

Mr Thomson - elected as a Labor MP but now sitting on the crossbenches after being suspended from the party - denies all wrongdoing.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is confident key independent MPs will honour their agreement to allow her government to run its full term, despite concerns about Labor continuing to accept Mr Thomson's independent vote.

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott has expressed concern that when he entered into the "good faith agreement" with Ms Gillard to support Labor to form a minority government after the 2010 election he was not aware of the allegations against Mr Thomson.

Mr Oakeshott says he will listen carefully to what Mr Thomson has to say in a statement to parliament on May 21 before deciding whether to back some form of censure.

However, Ms Gillard today said she was "very confident" her government would last through to the election due in late 2013.

"The election is due in the second half of 2013 and it'll be held on the normal time," she said in Adelaide.

Another independent with an agreement with the Government, Tony Windsor, said in an open letter to media across the country that he would not be supporting any action by the parliament against Mr Thomson.

"Every Australian has rights that include a presumption of innocence until proven guilty," Mr Windsor said.

He was backed by another independent, Bob Katter, who said he did not want to be cast in the role of judging other MPs.

Meanwhile, HSU general secretary Kathy Jackson wants the union's national executive to back a motion, at a national executive meeting on Monday, to sue Mr Thomson, who now sits as a federal independent MP after being suspended from the ALP.

Ms Jackson is seeking legal advice on whether Mr Thomson can be forced to pay the money back with interest.

Mr Thomson said he planned to make a 30-minute statement on May 21.

"This really is the first opportunity I've had to respond to the Fair Work report," he said.

"It will be a broad, extensive response and will take around half an hour - it's not going to be a two-minute statement."

Re: Thomson - "I was forced to be with prostitutes".Reply #2 - May 11th, 2012 at 9:35pm

Your giving up on the basic legal principal of the accused being innocent unless proven otherwise?I assume that if you have you will also denounce Abbott for being accused of indecent assault and vandalism in the 1970's?

Your giving up on the basic legal principal of the accused being innocent unless proven otherwise?I assume that if you have you will also denounce Abbott for being accused of indecent assault and vandalism in the 1970's?

The presumption of innocence only applies when charges are presented. Has he been charged yet? The court of public opinion has no handbrake.

Is Abbott's case from the 1970's still active? Must be another FWA investigation.

Your giving up on the basic legal principal of the accused being innocent unless proven otherwise?I assume that if you have you will also denounce Abbott for being accused of indecent assault and vandalism in the 1970's?

The presumption of innocence only applies when charges are presented. Has he been charged yet? The court of public opinion has no handbrake.

Is Abbott's case from the 1970's still active? Must be another FWA investigation.

So a person is presumed guilty until charges are laid..Im glad your not a lawyer

Your giving up on the basic legal principal of the accused being innocent unless proven otherwise?I assume that if you have you will also denounce Abbott for being accused of indecent assault and vandalism in the 1970's?

Abbott's 1970 case (whatever that is, I don't know) wasn't found to have breached 156 contraventions of a union, was it? Also bearing in mind that FWA is a government body, and wasn't it Labor that set it up?

Your giving up on the basic legal principal of the accused being innocent unless proven otherwise?I assume that if you have you will also denounce Abbott for being accused of indecent assault and vandalism in the 1970's?

Abbott's 1970 case (whatever that is, I don't know) wasn't found to have breached 156 contraventions of a union, was it? Also bearing in mind that FWA is a government body, and wasn't it Labor that set it up?

The basic legal principals remain the same and it makes no difference that Abbott wants to grab power without having an election

Re: Thomson - "I was forced to be with prostitutes".Reply #10 - May 11th, 2012 at 10:24pm

Under the current Fair Work Australia legislation (devised and introduced by one J. Gillard), there is no presumption of innocence. Section 361 of the Fair Work Act reverses the onus of proof applicable to civil proceedings. The onus is on the accused to to clear him/herself.

This is why, among so many other ironies, this is perhaps the more splendid. As far as the members of the HSU are concerned, the onus is on Thompson to clear himself. And the law (Julia's law) is on their side. Talk about buggered with your own petard.

Under the current Fair Work Australia legislation (devised and introduced by one J. Gillard), there is no presumption of innocence. Section 361 of the Fair Work Act reverses the onus of proof applicable to civil proceedings. The onus is on the accused to to clear him/herself.

This is why, among so many other ironies, this is perhaps the more splendid. As far as the members of the HSU are concerned, the onus is on Thompson to clear himself. And the law (Julia's law) is on their side. Talk about buggered with your own petard.

That is hilarious

Senator Brandis suggested Labor's changes to the Fair Work Act were coming back to haunt the government.

''What this means is that far from enjoying the presumption of innocence, as a result of Section 361 of the Fair Work Act, there is a presumption against Slipper,'' he said.

''Those Labor politicians including the Prime Minister [Julia Gillard] and the Attorney-General [Nicola Roxon] who say Slipper is entitled to presumption of innocence are ignoring the fact that they themselves removed the presumption of innocence in cases of this kind and replaced it with a presumption of guilt.''